The prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection among money boys in Tianjin

Objective To understand the prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection among money boys(MBs)in Tianjin and the related factors,and provide evidence for effective interventions in this subpopulation.Methods Money boys from two gay club houses and a gay public bathroom were tested for HIV and syphilis,and anonymous questionnaires were adiministered.Results The average age of the 89 respondents was 20.6(16-29)years.29.2% of MBs identified themselves as gay,18.0% as heterosexual,and 51.7% as bisexual;the prevalence of HIV was 6.7%,the positive rate of RPR was 29.2%.The prevalence of HIV and syphilis in MBs from the gay public bathroom was higher than that from the gay club houses(P0.001).The prevalence of syphilis in gay MBs was higher than that in non-gay MBs(P0.05).Conclusion MBs are active in both homosexual and heterosexual behaviors,and the prevalence of HIV and syphilis among them is high.More attention should be paid to this subpopulation for HIV/STD prevention,especially to the MBs in the gay public bathroom.